30 Assault Unit - Report No.2
Sir
I have the honour to report that the Radar station between Douvres and Beny-Sur-Mer, which was the main objective of 30 Assault Unit in the British theatre, was captured at 17.00 on the 17th June 1944.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

1944

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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A nice air photo.
As the war progressed the Germans were taking a terrific pounding from the RAF at night and then with the USAAF
in the day time, they needed to see what and when the aircraft were approaching. Radar was the new thing and scientists were inventing all sorts of radars. This radar had a long bunker with a circular entry in the end for a tall tubular tower. A motor rotated the aerial. It would have used a lot of power and there were two generators housed on the perimeter of the defence.

L480 Wasserman bunker.

Wasserman Apparatus (Chimney) Air 23/1242.

Air 37/510 Attacks on Enemy Radar Installations.

Radar room.

Generator room.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

German Defence map

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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The radar station was surrounded by a large barbed wire fence all around it and a minefield MF100.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

AIR 40/1667

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink Plan

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AIR 40/1667 Rhubarb - Appendix X(ii) Coastal Radar Stations an allied plan of the area. The Allies running up to D-Day selected many radar stations on the Atlantikwall to be attacked by rocket firing RAF Typhoon Squadrons. The idea was to put out the Luftwaffe eyes. A plan of which radars to destroy and to leave as a deception plan running up to D-Day. This way they did not give away the secret of where the landings were going to take place. Douvres was a special target and needed taking out as its radars covered all the landing beaches and all the parachute landing zones.

Radar plan.

Wasserman details.

Wasserman details.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

German Map

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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A German defence Artillery map showing where Douvres (i) & (ii) are and artillery targets If needed with numbers. Circles are defence positions, StP's & Wn's. I am sure many of these were used as the battle field progressed across this part of Normandy. Most of the fixed artillery was 7.5cm F. H.’s and as the battle continued into day two and three the German field army would have brought their heavier artillery into play. These would have been 10.5cm and above.

7.5cm F.H.

7.5cm F.H.

10.5 cm leF. H. 18.

10.5 cm leF. H. 18.

17.0cm 18 long range gun.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

AIR 40/1667

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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A very good air photo showing the three AA bunkers, the transformer on the top right and the L480 radar bunker. The flak bunkers were designed for 3.7cm Flak but here they used 2cm Flak 30 guns.

2cm Flak 30.

2cm Flak 30.

2cm Flak 30.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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The view from the modern road looking due north.

Plan.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (i)

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Getting closer, the far side of the field was being ploughed so I could walk across here easily without damaging crops.
The closest is an L409A Flak bunker.
A large crew room, ammunition room, store room and gas lock with two entrances.

Plan.

Plan of an L409A bunker underneath the guns platform.

The guns platform sits on about a quarter of the bunker.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (1)

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The L409A and L410A are both open emplacements for 3.7cm Flak 18 type guns but here 2cm Flak 30 have been used.

The plan I think is orientated with the two entrances at the bottom (two red arrows).

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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The gun space with ready ammunition niches (the long oblong slots) and the two crew small spaces where telephone connection to the HQ bunker to receive fire control orders.

Flak crew.

Flak crew.

2cm Flak ammunition magazines ready to place on the gun.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (2) Hindenburg.

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Another view with all the bunkers can be seen.
Main L409A (2), Right to Left L409A (1), L410A & L480.

Plan.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (2) Hindenburg.

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Camouflage net hooks.

Bunker camouflage nets

Camouflage net.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (2) Hindenburg.

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Looking into the gun space.
When the gun was in place large wooden boards would close off the entrance and the ammunition niches and small crew rooms.
On the right, when the gun space was closed off there is one entrances like chicanes to get inside. Its hard enough for me at my over weight size but a fully equipped German soldier with his tin hat on would have had as much trouble as me to get in in a hurry.

L409A plan.

2cm Flak 30.

2cm magazine boxes.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink L409A (2) Hindenburg.

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Crew entrance chicane.

L409A.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), DistelfinkL409A (2) Hindenburg.

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There were several battles for the site, first air and then the Canadians attacked on D-Day but decided to skirt around it and leave the StP to later troops.

Sherman Tank.

StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

31 October 2016

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink

Kew

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StP Douvres (ii), Distelfink L409A (2) Hindenburg.

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The Assault: from ADM 199/1647
Report of
30 Assault Unit.
The northern site
(StP Douvres (ii) was captured by members of No.41 Commando.

They Found : -
(i) A box type WASSERMAN tower lying on its side (Damaged on D-Day). Radar control apparatus housed in an underground concrete shelter, but had been so badly damaged by fire to be unrecognisable.
((ii)) An H.T. transformer station
((ii)i) Three concrete bunkers with gun emplacements (the three flak bunkers).

Materials found: -
(i) The operational control room
consisting of a sunken cellar with a roof opening some 10'ft square, covered in a glass grid screen projecting into a room above.
((ii)) The display gear was found still in boxes and possibly never finished.
((ii)i)
Documents picked up from all over the floors.
(iv) A great deal of Radar equipment was either stripped or badly damaged by the Germans and buried. All parts unearthed and sent home.
(v) The control platform of the Wasserman tower was situated in the middle of the tower and electrically controlled from the underground Radar cabin. It was protected by armoured plating 3/8'' in. thick.
(vi) RAF technician drew a plan of the Wasserman feeder circuit.

(v(ii)i) The diesel generators were not removed as they could be used to power the electrical water pumps to keep the water supply to civilians in the area.